


In Which Sophie and Howl Express Their Feelings in Written Form

by bobblemonkey2



Category: Howl Series - Diana Wynne Jones, Howl no Ugoku Shiro | Howl's Moving Castle, Howl's Moving Castle - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Letters, Love Letters, One Shot, a bit soppy but cute, bookverse, letter format
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:49:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27389761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bobblemonkey2/pseuds/bobblemonkey2
Summary: While Howl is away on royal business in High Norland, he and Sophie keep up with one another through writing letters.
Relationships: Sophie Hatter/Howl Pendragon
Comments: 18
Kudos: 126





	In Which Sophie and Howl Express Their Feelings in Written Form

**Author's Note:**

> All characters belong to Diana Wynne Jones my queen. I imagine Howl and Sophie express their feelings through sarcasm, and honestly same, hence the following fic. This was a new format for me but I quite liked writing it!

Dear Cariad,

I’m terribly sorry not to have written to you sooner - there was a slight delay on the mountain roads through Montalbino - but you’ll be pleased to hear that Ben and I have arrived safely in High Norland today (which will be a few days ago by the time this letter arrives at the castle). My hope is that the business at the palace won’t take too long, as I can only imagine you are missing torturing me terribly and I would hate to deprive you of my handsome face for weeks on end.

The Royal Magician is rather old and slow, so as you can imagine my days with him are long and tiresome, but we are making progress in talks surrounding a magical alliance between our two countries. It’s all very boring and I almost miss hearing your voice accusing me of being vain or lazy everyday - perhaps you could entertain me with that in your next letter? I’m not sure what I could have done to offend you while we’ve been apart but I’m confident you could think of something for argument’s sake.

I daren’t imagine the hell you are putting poor Michael and Calcifer through with your army of cleaning products, but please, my love, leave the spiders webs. That is one thing I will not budge on - you can even have your way with the garden if you promise to leave those poor creatures alone.

Do write back to me soon, cariad. In all seriousness, I wish you were here - but your letters are some small reminder of you at least.

Love,  
Your Howl.

——-

Dear Howl,

I have considered your request regarding the spiders, and for the time being I have decided to honour it. But if those spiders continue at their current breeding rate I think it only fair to start charging them rent, since they are taking up valuable space that more useful creatures could well inhabit.

Michael has gone to stay with Martha for a few days and Calcifer pops in and out as he pleases, so I am quite alone most days - of course this suits my cleaning habits very well, and you’ll be sad to hear that the castle is tidier and shinier that it has ever been. The flower shop is also doing rather well, though you didn’t bother to ask about that in your last letter.

I’ve heard the wizard of High Norland has a great mass of silver beard, is this true? I’ve always thought you’d look rather nice with silver hair, maybe you could take some inspiration from him.

Love, Mrs Nose.

P.s. you are an arrogant, selfish, self-absorbed cad - does that well satisfy your need to hear me tell you off?

——

Dear Cariad,

Me with silver hair? Now that’s an idea I may have to put into practice on my return, especially if the prospect of such a transformation is enough to excite you into giving a much begrudged compliment. The wizard of High Norland does indeed have a great beard, I’m thinking of growing one to match.

Thank you for honouring my previous request about the spiders - I have been thinking recently about adding an extra room onto the castle specifically for them, what are your thoughts?

It seems you are enjoying yourself being home alone - perhaps I shall not return at all, instead I’ll become a wandering wizard amongst these mountains where I can live in a cottage full to the brim with spiders and no one to tell me off. But then again I’m sure you’d come bombarding into my life again somehow - you’re quite the unstoppable force, Miss Hatter.

Ben has been sighing with love sickness for the past week - has Lettie been doing the same? From my experience courting your sister I can understand where he’s coming from of course, but to be so woeful every day without fail is unfathomable. Everything reminds him of her! I’m the very embodiment of nonchalance obviously - some days I even forget your name and poor Ben has to remind me who I’m married to. That reminds me I better go and double check with him what to write on the envelope for this letter, because clearly, I’m not missing you in the slightest.

Yours, Howl.

P.s. that was a very lifelike telling off - your voice almost jumped out of the page. 

——

Dear Howl,

Please don’t grow a beard, it would make you look terribly old and your sister already comments on our age difference enough for my liking. Plus, I do rather like seeing your face as it naturally is.

Adding an extra room for the spiders sounds like an idea I could get on board with, though if they’re getting a spare room I would also like one to do my sewing in - it’s only fair.

Lettie has been round in fact, looking about as glum as Ben I imagine. It’s funny that you say you enjoyed courting my sister because just today she was telling me how she couldn’t stand your shoddy guitar playing and awful attempts at smouldering looks! We had a terrible giggle. We even tried our hand at playing your little guitar and I’m afraid I broke one of the strings - what a pity.

Love, Mrs Nose.

——-

Dearest Sophie,

I feel I should never have taught you how to use sarcasm so effectively because now I am wracking with worry over whether or not you did break my guitar string. For my own peace of mind I will assume that you were joking, but if I return home to find that you were being serious, there will be no sewing room for you.

Speaking of coming home, my business in High Norland is nearly done and we shall be setting off back to Ingary the day after next. You’ll be pleased to hear we’ve managed to come to an agreement with High Norland and they shall be allying with us in the coming war against Strangia, but I won’t keep on about that as I know diplomacy bores you. I imagine if you were in my position you’d simply verbally berate the Royal Magician and King of High Norland until they gave into you, and failing that you’d launch some weed killer at them - an undiplomatic approach, but at least you’d get it done quicker than Ben or I. Either that or start a war with them.

Calcifer popped up in my fireplace last night and he told me some interesting information - he said that, and I quote, ‘you couldn’t wait for me to be home’. Is this true cariad? This doesn’t sound like you at all! What has happened to my mean old Mrs Nose in my absence? Don’t tell me you’ve gone all soft, cariad.

Anyway, I expect to be home in about a week from when this letter arrives with you - do try and find something to do apart from pine for me in the meantime.

All my love, Howl.


End file.
